In honor of America’s jazz tradition, Marion Lecture Recital Club (MLRC) will present “And All That Jazz” Sunday, February 16, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at Central Christian Church, 421 Mt. Vernon Avenue. The program, offered free to the public, will feature a jazz band and jazz vocal, instrumental, and dance performances. Among the performers will be two high school students who were winners of MLRC’s music camp scholarship last summer: Parker Baird, trombone and Kyle Goings, drums.
As members of the audience arrive, they will be treated to the pre-program music of a Jazz Band organized by pianist Jim Besch, with Bill Swihart on clarinet and alto saxophone, Dan Erickson on bass, and Kyle Goings on the drums. Carol Becker will begin the program with an introduction based on Leonard Bernstein’s TV show “What Is Jazz” that will describe and give brief examples of the elements that distinguish jazz music: altered scale, rhythmic syncopation, tonal colors, form, harmony and improvisation.
The program selections will illustrate many characteristics of jazz’s origins, development, and strong appeal to performers and audiences. The performers include Jim Besch on the piano, along with the Jazz Band (listed above), performing VIllage Vortex from Wonderful Town, music by Leonard Bernstein.
Lee Ann Derugen and Tom Willauer’s, vocal duet spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is accompanied by pianist Carol Wahl; Bill Swihart will play a clarinet solo, Pocket-size sonata #2 by Alec Templeton, with John Holsinger, piano accompanist.
Marilyn MeBride’s Douce Dance Studio will perform an example of contemporary jazz dance to a “Madness” recording by the English alternative rock band Muse, with dancers Morgan Collins, Katie Kagel, Julia Martin, Shelbi Martin, Raeleigh Richards. Courtney Miller and Lynell Jamison provided the choreography and instruction.
Parker Baird will play a trombone solo, Georgia on My Mind by Hoagy Carmichael (arr. by Calvin Custer) with Sandy Becker, piano accompanist. Marianne Allen’s vocal solo, George Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me, is also accompanied by Becker. Pianist Carol Wahl will offer selections by two jazz composers, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington (arr. by Kevin Olson) and W.C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues.
Kevin Orth, accompanied by John Holsinger, will sing Mr. Cellophane from the very popular, longest-running Broadway musical Chicago. Lois Lust’s clarinet solos, accompanied by Holsinger, include Just in Time, by Jule Styne and It’s All Right with Me, by Cole Porter (both pieces arr. by Carl Strommen).
The Jazz Band will accompany the last two performances: Kelly Culler’s vocal solo, Summertime, from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and Jo Ann R-Zimmerman’s song/dance/singalong to And All That Jazz, also from the musical, Chicago.
Marion Lecture Recital Club’s (MLRC) Music Camp Scholarship Winner, Parker Baird (pictured above), attended OSU’s Jazz Camp last summer. Parker, a Harding High School Junior, is a multi-talented vocal and instrumental musician. He performs in several band, orchestra and vocal groups, and has performed extensively for his church and for HHS and Palace Theatre musical productions for the past few years. He already has plans to be a music major in college.
MLRC’s other Music Camp Scholarship Winner, Kyle Goings (no photo) is also a Junior at HHS. He is a percussionist for many music groups in school, church, and the Palace; he also sings in vocal groups and performs in musicals.
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